Semantic and derivational features of surnames with the root zhi(t')

A.G. Gataullina

A.N. Tupolev Kazan National Research Technical University, Kazan, 420111 Russia

E-mail: mullagalieva@yandex.ru

Received March 16, 2017

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Abstract

The paper presents the analysis of surnames with the ancient root zhi(t') (жи(ть) 'to live'). In connection with the increased interest in personality, history, and culture of people, much attention is paid to the study of proper names, which are regarded as a linguistic and cultural phenomenon. Surnames cover the phenomena related to the life, history and culture of people. This is especially true for surnames derived from the words with the root zhi(t'), the semantics of which is very important in the history of the Russian language. All of the above determines the relevance of the study.

The paper analyzes surnames with the following stems: zhiv (жив 'alive'), zhila (жила 'tendon'), zhil(oi) (жил(ой) 'living'), zhir (жир 'life, wealth'), zhito (жито 'bread'), pazhit' (пажить 'meadow').

The paper gives a des­cription of surnames with two stems and the initial elements zhiv-. In addition, the nicknames with the root zhi(t'), which is the root of many surnames, have been investigated.

The following conclusions have been made as a result of the study:

1. The most ancient surnames with the root zhi(t') are Zhivlyakov (Живляков), Zhivotov (Животов), Zhilin (Жилин), Zhirin (Жирин), Zhiryakov (Жиряков), Zhiryatinich (Жирятинич), Zhitov (Житов), Zhitnikov (Житников), and Domozhirov (Доможиров).

2. Most of the surnames retain their structural and semantic correlation with the word that generates it.

3. More than 20 nicknames with the root zhi(t'), from which the investigated surnames were formed, have been identified.

4. Nicknames with the root zhi(t') could reflect the characteristics and properties of people, their appearance, as well as indicate the social standing of people, the nature of human settlement etc.

The obtained results can be used in lexicographical practice, to study the specific aspects of lexicology and etymology, as well as in the development of courses on onomastics.

Keywords: root zhi(t'), proper names, surnames, nicknames, onomastics, semantics, word formation

References

1. Nikonov V.A. The Dictionary of Russian Surnames. Zagadki familii [Mysteries of Surnames]. Moscow, Shkola-Press, 1993, pp. 197–205. (In Russian)
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4. Unbegaun B.O. Russian Surnames. Moscow, Progress, 1989. 441 p. (In Russian)
5. Mokshin N.F. The origin of surnames of the Mordvins. Onomastika Povolzh'ya 3: Materialy III konf. po onomastike Povolzh'ya [Onomastics of Volga Region 3: Proc. III Conf. on Onomastics in the Volga Region]. Ufa, 1973, pp. 139–144. (In Russian)
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7. Orokhvatskii Yu.I. Words with the root zhir-. Russkaya Rech', 1975, no. 4, pp. 110–113. (In Russian)

For citation: Gataullina A.G. Semantic and derivational features of surnames with the root zhi(t'). Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Gumanitarnye Nauki, 2017, vol. 159, no. 5, pp. 1272–1282. (In Russian)

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